from CAPM -a blog for CPSM wannabes

3-A-15 Develop/manage/measure relationships with internal departments

August 31, 2010

Several years ago- a forward looking Texas based supply management leader asked me to investigate why internal users did not follow the P-Card process in his organization and here is the academic paper I wrote based on that research. Getting internal users (and suppliers) used to directly dealing with suppliers, to appreciate the value of supply management is the learning objective of this section 3-A-15.

As a supply management leader you have two choices - (1) Wait for requirements to reach you or (2) Work with business units to help them achieve their goals with regard to supplies.

The latter is the way to go if you want an eventual place in the "C" suite ! What is amazing is that every supplier tells me that they see supply management as a price squeezing "negotiator" who just is between the supplier and the great service that the supplier plans to provide your organization. Ask some of your suppliers " what do other organizations supply management folks contribute to your work..." (use "other' to get a sense of their true opinion) and email me if you hear any positive things!

Most suppliers see supply management - particularly in new areas like say advertising spend -as a necessary evil just because the client organization mandates that all orders must flow through supply management. I am not saying that all user departments and their suppliers should "love " supply management.

But trying to get appreciated (if not loved ) by your user departments and their suppliers is the goal of this section. What do you do to serve your user departments and their suppliers better? Think hard to do well on this section.